Mail-bag receiving and delivering apparatus.



\ H. J. HEDRIOK.

MAIL BAG RECEIVING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT.3, 1912.

Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

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WITNESSES: INVENTOR L/ Hed/v'c/r.

WM, M 42 WXW y [no/Mr CDLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

H. J. HBDRICK.

MAIL BAG RECEIVING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 3, 1912.

WITNESSES l/VVE/VTOR COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASH|NGTON, n. c.

',H J. HEDRICK. MAIL BAG RECEIVING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS. APPLICATIONFILED 811F113, 1912.

1,081,908. I I Patented Dec. 16,1913.

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. "v WITNESSES: '23 INVENTOR AT'TOHNEV coLuMmA PLANOGRAPH cg}; viAsmNnroN. n. c.

MAIL BAG RECEIVING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED SBPT.3,1912.

' 1 '1 903 Patented Dec.16,1913.

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WITNESSES: lNl/EIV TOR Q; 1 HJ/iec/r/ck. I 1 BY 14%.

ArTRNEy UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIQE.

HENRY J'. HEDRICK, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

MAIL-BAG RECEIVING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

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Application filed September 3, 1912.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. HEDRICK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, in the county of Wyandotte and State of Kansas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Receivingand Delivering Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to mail delivery mechanism, and more particularlyto mechanism for delivering mail sacks to railway mail cars while thelatter are in motion, the present mechanism being an improvement on thatdescribed in my United States LettersPatent Nos. 887,799 of May 19th,1908, 940,152 of November 16, 1909, 943,876 of December 21, 1909 and991,444 of May 2, 1911, the principal object of the invention being toprovide a ground member wherein the mail sacks may be held securelyuntil picked up by a traveler, and a traveler, which may be extendedfrom a car door, and which will, after picking up the sacks from thestationary member, automatically return to the car.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a ground member whichmay be adjusted to hold sacks of different thickness,

or one or more sacks, without affecting the security of the support, orthe facility with which the sacks may be removed therefrom.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a pick-up mechanismwhich may be set to pick up sacks from the ground mem her and locksamefirmly in the traveler to insure their safe delivery into the car.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a pick-up mechanismwhereby the impact thereof against mail sacks held in the ground membermay be cushioned, and

wherein the cushioning action serves to set the traveler so that it isautomatically returned into the car.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I haveprovided the im proved details of structure hereinafter described andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure I is aperspective view of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

Serial No. 718,331.

traveling, or pick-up member, showing a part of the interior of a car inwhich the mechanism is mounted, and illustrating the mechanism inextended or pick-up position. Fig. II is a perspective view of theground member, or crane, shown in delivery position, and supporting asingle mail bag. Fig. III is a side elevation of the crane, a part ofits standard being in section to illustrate the pivotal. mounting, andits idle position being illustrated in dotted lines. Fig. IV is a rearview of the crane, the dotted lines showing the loading position of theparts.

' Fig. V is a side view of the crane as it appears when approaching idleposition, and indicating the action of the counter-balancing weight.Fig. VI is an enlarged inverted 3121-11 view of the top latch of thecrane. Fig.

II is a central, longitudinal section of same. Fig. VIII is a detailview of one of the adjustable clamp members. Fig. IX is a plan View ofthe traveler, or pick-up mechanism, showing its collapsed positionwithin the can. Fig. X is a horizontal section of the clamp on thepick-up mechanism. Fig. XI is a detail view of part of the pickup armand its ratchet.

Referring more in detail to the parts, and

first to the ground member, or crane, 1 designates a post which ispermanently set in the ground adjacent a railway track, and to which thecrane standard 2 is connected by hinges 3, so that the crane may beturned to or from the track, or may be stopped at an intermediateloading position, the platform 4 being arranged adjacent the post, andin such relation thereto that a mail bag may be easily applied to thecrane when the latter is in its loading position.

The standard 2 preferably comprises side members 5 which extend abovethe top of the supporting post, and spacers 6 which separate the sidemembers so that a recess 7 is provided at the upper end of the standard,a pivot pin 8 being extended through the side members and recess nearthe rear edge of the standard, and a stop block 9 fixed in the recess atthe upper forward corner thereof, for a purpose presently described.

A crane 10, preferably comprising a U- shaped body of strap metal, ispivotally mounted on the standard by means of a knuckle 11 which isfixed to the base of the crane near the lower corner thereof andpivotally mounted on the pin 8, one leg of the crane being extendedthrough the recess and projected forwardly therefrom, so that the bodyportion of the crane may abut against the stop block 9 and hold thecrane in horizontal, delivery position, or in vertical, idle position,as illustrated clearly in Figs. II and V.

The upper arm of the crane has it free end turned backwardly to form alip 12 par: allel with the body of the arm, and slidably mounted inapertures in the arm and lip is a pin, 13, the upper end of whichcarries a nut 14; and has a spring 15 surrounding the portion thereofbetween the lip and nut and bearing against such parts to yieldinglytension the pin upwardly (Fig. VII). Fixed on the inner end of the pinis a collar 16, which bears against the inner face of the arm 10 to.limit the outward projection of the pin under tension of the spring 15,the inner end of the pin being bent laterally over the inner face of thecollar to form a hanger 110 for supporting a mail bag.

Fixed to the inner face of the arm 10 is a bracket 17 having inturnedears 18 carrying flat springs 19- which project along and bear againstthe fiat sides 20 of the collar 16 to. retard the pivotal movement ofthe rod 13 and hold same projected in line with the arm 10-. The ears 18have apertures, andpivotally' mounted in said apertures is a ring 21which overlies. the hanger arm of the rod 13 and forms a latch for themail bag and hanger, as will presently be described. Fixed to the ring,between the cars 18, is a clamp 22 having ears 23 directed into theinterior of the ring, and

fixed to the arm 10 is a flat spring 24 which bears against the clampears and is adapted for yieldingly tensionmg the ring toward itsfunctional position, which is in contact with the hanger section of saidrod.

On the lower crane arm 10 are inturned brackets 25, one of which may beformed by turning up the end of the arm, and fixed in said brackets is arod 26. Slidably mounted on rod 26' are clips 27 (Fig. VIII), andslidably mounted on the rod between the clip ears are clamps 28 whichresemble large cotter pins, in that they comprise eyelet heads 29 andspaced fingers 30. Two of said clamps are mounted on the rod 26 andadapted for sliding adjustment there on, or for locking engagement withthe rod when canted.

Projecting rearwardly from standards 5 is. a frame 32 having bearings 33on its outer end within which a shaft 3 1 is revolubly mounted, theportion of the shaft between the bearing being provided with a sheavepulley 35, a guard 36 being mounted on the ends of the frame bars toprevent the escape of a cable which is adapted to travel loosely overthe Wheel.

Fixed on the base of the crane in'a bracket 37 preferably comprising apiece of strap metal bent to a V-shape, and connected with the end ofthe bracket is a cable 38 which is run over the sheave pulley 35 andcarries a weight 39 at its lower end, the length of the cable being suchthat the weight is lifted from the ground when the crane is in deliveryposition, and the V bracket proj ected horizontally, and when the craneis in idle position and the V bracket extended vertically within theframe 32, it being apparent that when in the latter position, thebracket will hold the cable lowered at the inside of the pulley wheel,as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. III.

The weight 39 is slightly heavier than the crane 10 in order that whenthe crane is empty it will be automatically thrown back to idle positionby the lowering of the weight, but when carrying a mail bag willovercome the weight so that it may remain in delivery position, therebymaking the return of the crane to idle position automatic upon theremoval of the bag.

In order to lock the crane standard in delivery position, I provide samewith a metal strap 11 which is adapted to extend over the face of thepost 1 and inclose a staple 43, a hasp 14: being pivotally mounted onthe post and also adapted to overlie the staple 43 so that a pin 46 maybe projected through the staple and hold the hasp and bar in place.

A mail bag which is used with this ap paratus may be of ordinaryconstruction, but when placed in the crane carries a strap 50, having ahanger 51, preferably formed from a single piece of strap metal, securedthereto, the upper end of the hanger having inclined sides 52 and havinga roller 53 journaled therebetween and adapted to lie over the hangermember of the pin 13, as illustrated in Fig. II, so that the bag may becarried in upright position with its lower end anchored to the baseportion of the crane by the clamps 28, as will hereafter be more clearlydescribed.

The take-up member of the apparatus, or the part which is carried in amail car, comprises a carriage 55, preferably formed from a single pieceof strap metal, the sides of which are spaced apart, and the endsconnected to form a rigid V-shaped structure. One end of the carriageis, pivotally mounted on a pin 56 which is carried between the ears 57of a bracket 58 that is bolted, or otherwise rigidly secured to a post59, on the inside of the car, the opposite end of the carriage beingbowed outwardly so that the head member, which will presently bedescribed, may extend into the carriage in line with the outer halfthereof.

Pivotally mounted on a pin 60, which extends between the sides of thecarriage at the body portion of the outer ends thereof, is a take-uphead 61, having a stop arm 62 projected inwardly from its inner end andprovided with a foot 63 which is adapted to bear against a stop 64 thatis rigidly fixed to the jamb of the door. The inner portion of the footis projected laterally to form a fulcrum, and has a rope 65 connectedtherewith and run between guide pulleys 66 on brackets 67 carried by thecarriage, over guide rollers 68 and 69, carried by the post 59 and theside of the car respectively and over a hanger pulley 70, which iscarried by a strap 71 fixed to and carried by the bars 72 which extendbetween the post 59 and a smaller post 73 adjacent thereto, the innerend of the rope being provided with a weight 74 which is adapted toabsorb the shock of impact of a mail bag with the takeup head, andreturn said head to an extended position, as will presently be morefully described.

The outer end of the head 61 contains a slot 77, and extended verticallythrough the outer end of said slot is a pin 7 8 which carries a trigger7 9 having a spring 7 9 whereby it is yieldingly extended forwardly toen gagement with a limiting bracket and being provided at its inner endwith a flexible guide plate 81, having apertures 82, through which thearms of a trip 83 are projected. The trip 83 is extended through anotherguide 80 and is preferably formed of heavy spring wire bent upon itselfto substantially U-shape, with its arms extended through the guide 81,as stated, and its inner ends looped through flexible hangers Set on thetakeup head, so that it may have free pivotal and limited spreadingmovement.

Projected rearwardly from the outer end of the take-up head are ears 87,and mounted in said ears is a post 88 upon which the cars 89 of a clampbar 90 are pivotally mounted, said bar being preferably formed from asingle piece of metal, having a backwardly curved forward end 91, and abackwardly curved catch lip 92 at its rear end adapted for lockingengagement with a roller 93 on the trigger 7 9, the clamp bar beingpreferably reinforced by a metal leaf 94L. Surrounding the portions ofpost 88 above and below the clamp cars 89 is a spring 95, the ends ofwhich are projected along the ears 87 and anchored in the takeup head61, and the body of which is con nected with the clamp arm 90 so thatthe arm is tensioned toward the take-up head, a pin 96 being extendedbetween said ears and adapted for engagement by the body portions of thespring in order to distribute the strain and jar of the spring andthereby lengthen the life thereof.

In order to hold the take-up head in its functional or extendedposition, I provide same with a curved ratchet 100 which extendsrearwardly from near its base end and has its opposite end projectedover the stop arm 62. Mounted on the carriage 55, and overhanging theratchet 100, are ears 101, and extending through said cars is a rod 102having a hook end 103 projecting through a keeper 10 1 on a pawl 105,which latter is pivotally mounted on a pin 106 carried by the ears 101.A spring is carried by the rod 102, with one end hooked through the car101, and the other end in engagement with the pawl 105 so that the pawlis yieldingly pressed into engagement with the ratchet. The rod 102extends back along the carriage to a plate 107 carried thereby and isturned up within a guide 108- on said plate and adapted for engagementwith a keeper 109 thereon, said keeper preferably comprising a notchedflange that is turned laterally from the upper end of the plate. Withthis construction, the rod may be turned to raise the pawl out of thisratchet and hold same in such elevated position, or may be dropped toanother notch to allow the pawl to pass to functional position, where itmay ride over the ratchet.

A latch 110 is provided on the interior of the car for holding thecarriage and take-up head within the car and in collapsed condition,such latch preferably comprising a finger 111 of spring metal adapted toride over one bar of the carriage when the latter is returned into thecar, and having a tip 111 for holding the bar when the parts have beenreturned.

By providing the carriage with a guide sheave bracket 67 having theinwardly directed wings for carrying the sheave wheels, the cable iscramped when the saddle is returned into the car, as shown in Fig. IX,so that the weight is lifted to carry a constant outward tension of thecarriage.

In order to hold the take-up head against the tension of its weight,when the pawl 105 is released prior to the movement of the carriage tofunctional position, and so that the head may be held in its collapsedposi tion to allow the carriage and head to pass through the door of thecar, I provide the head with a strap 112, which may be wrapped aroundone bar of the carriage to hold the head after the rod 102 has beenrocked to throw the pawl out of its ratchet. It is apparent that whenthe pawl has been thrown, the weight will tend to straighten the take-uphead, but that by holding the loose end of the strap, the head will beheld in the carriage and the entire mechanism will be turned on thecarriage pivot as it is pushed out through the door. When the carriageand take-up head have been projected from the door, the strap may bereleased to allow the weight to perform its function. of straighteningthe take-up head. When the parts are straightened, the pawl is releasedso that when the head receives the impact of a mail bag it may cushionback against the tension of the weight. It is apparent that as thetake-up head swings to its functional position, the foot 63 will assumea position back of the stop 64 and prevent the return of the carriageand head into the car until it is released, as will be described.

V'Vhen the bag is struck by the take-up head, the impact moves the headback against the tension of the weight 74 in order to cushion the impactand raise the weight so that it may return the parts into the car. It ispossible that with some very light bags the impact will not besufficient to lift the weight, and in order to move the head back andlift the weight sufliciently to return the parts, I provide the footwith a rope 115, whereby an operator may throw the head to its rearlimit and lift the weight, so that when the rope is released the partsmay be returned.

Presu-ming the parts to be constructed and assembled as described, whena mailbag is to be delivered from a station to a railway mail car, whilethe latter is in motion, the station-agent lowers the crane tohorizontal position, lifts the ring 21, places the sack hanger over thehorizontal portion of the rod 13 and lowers the ring over the end of thehanger so as to prevent accidental escape of the hanger from the rod. Hethen clamps the lower end of the bag between the members 28 so that thebag is held in vertical position. The crane standard is then swungaround to bring the bag into position for engagement by the take-up onthe car and the standard locked in position by the bar and hasp device.As a train approaches the station, the operator on the car sets thetraveler by opening the clamp bar 90 against the tension of its spring95, so that its hooked inner end passes over and is caught by the roller93' on the trigger 79, the spring 79 holding the trigger extended andthe trigger holding the trip 83 in front of its face, as illustratedmost clearly in Fig. X. With the take-up head set in this manner, theoperator grasps the strap 1.12, releases the pawl 105, and pushes thecarriage through the car door, letting the straps out gradually when thecarriage is set to allow the weight to pivot the takeup head until it isin line with the outer carriage arm, and the foot 63 is set behind thestop on the door-j amb. With the parts in this position, the car travelspast the station and the take-up head of the pick-upmechanism strikesthe suspended mail-bag at about the center, the impact of the headagainst the bag causing the trip 83 to rock the trigger 7 9 inwardlyagainst the tension of its spring 79 and thereby releasing the hook onthe end of the clamp arm 90-, so

that the latter is thrown inwardly against the mail-bag and binds samesecurely to the take-up head, the pressure of the clamp arm, and theobstruction formed by the cars 87, serving to hold the bag against thehead.

When the take-up head hits the bag, the bag tends to double at the pointof contact, thereby exerting a downward pull on the hanger 52, whichlowers the hanger portion of the pin 13 against the tension of itsspring, the forward movement of the bag at the same time turning the pintoward the direction of travel of the bag so that the forward pull onthe hanger will cause the beveled ends of the latter to ride under thekeeper ring and off of the horizontal part of the rod to free the hangertherefrom, such forward movement also pulling the bag from betweentheclamps 28 so that the bag is entirely removed from the crane. Theimpact of the head against the bag throws the head backwardly so that itpivots on the carriage, and drags the pawl over the ratchet so that itlifts the weight 74: to cushion the impact of the head against the bag.After the weight has been lifted by the impact, it again falls towardthe bottom of the car and draws the head and carriage into the car,throwing the carriage against its latch to hold the parts and preventtheir swinging back toward the open door. It is apparent that when thehead and carriage have passed within the car, the mail-bag may beremoved by pulling the clamp 90 from the bag so that the bag may drop tothefloor of the car. The mechanism may then remain at the side of thecar until it is again needed, when the operation just described may berepeated to take the mail back from the crane at a succeeding station.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein anddesire to secure by LettersPatent, is:

1. The combination with a bag holder, of a traveling member comprising acarriage, a pick-up head pivotally mounted on the carriage, means foryieldingly retaining said head in operative position, and pawl andratchet mechanism on the carriage and head for locking said head againstthe tension of said yielding means when the head retreats under impactwith a bag, substantially as set forth.

2. In a mechanism of the character described, a traveling membercomprising a pivotally mounted carriage adapted for projection through acar door, a takeup head pivotally mounted in the carriage and comprisinga stop arm adapted for travel within the carriage, a weight and a cableconnecting the weight with said stop arm, a stop for holding the headagainst the tension of said weight, a ratchet on said head, and a pawlon said carriage for locking the head against the tension of saidweight.

3. In a mechanism of the character described, a pivotally mountedcarriage, a head pivotally mounted on the carriage and comprising a stoparm adapted for travel within the carriage, and having a foot providedwith a fulcrum projection, a yielding member connected with said fulcrumprojection, a stop adapted for engagement by said foot to hold the armagainst the tension of said yielding means, and mechanism on said headfor clamping a bag thereto.

4. In a mechanism of the character described, a pivotally mountedcarriage, a head pivotally mounted on the carriage and comprising a stoparm having a foot provided with a fulcrum projection, a yielding memberconnected with said fulcrum projection, a stop adapted for engagement bysaid foot to hold the arm against the tension of said yielding means,and means for manually turning said arm against the tension of saidyielding means.

5. In a mechanism of the character described, a pivotally mountedcarriage, a head pivotally mounted on the carriage and comprising a stoparm having a foot provided with a fulcrum projection, a yielding memberconnected with said fulcrum projection, a stop adapted for engagement bysaid foot to hold the arm against the tension of said yielding means, arope connected with said foot, and means on said head for holding a ba(I. In a mechanism of the character described, a pivotally mountedcarriage, a head pivotally mounted on the carriage, a ratchet mounted onand adapted for travel with said head, a pawl carried by the carriageand adapted for cooperation with the ratchet, a spring yieldinglytensioning said pawl toward the ratchet, a rod connected with the pawland adapted for lifting same against the tension of the spring, and akeeper plate adapted for holding the rod when the "pawl is in eitheractive or inactive position.

7. In a mechanism of the character described, a take-up mechanismcomprising a head, a clamp bar yieldingly tensioned toward the head, anda trigger adapted for retaining said clamp bar in a set position and foractuation under impact of a bag to release the clamp bar, for thepurpose set forth.

8. In a mechanism of the character described, a take-up head comprisinga spring actuated clamp bar, a trigger for holding the bar in setposition, and a pivotally mounted trip adapted for actuation by theimpact of a bag and for rocking the trigger when so actuated.

9. In a mechanism of the character described, a take-up head, a clampbar mounted on the head and having a catch lip at one end, a springyieldingly tensioning the clamp bar toward the head, a trigger pivotallymounted adjacent the catch end of the clamp bar, and having a memberadapt ed for holding same when the parts are set, a spring foryieldingly tensioning said trigger toward set position, and a pivotallymounted trip having a loose end overlying the trigger, and adapted foractuation under the impact of a bag to rock said trigger and release theclamp bar, for the purpose set forth.

10. In a mechanism of the character described, a pick-up head comprisinga clamp bar, means for yieldingly tensioning the clamp bar toward thehead, a pivotally mounted trigger, a spring for yieldingly tensioningthe trigger toward set position, means for limiting the movement of thetrigger under the influence of the spring, and a floating trip connectedwith the trigger and adapted for rocking same, for the purpose setforth.

11. In a mechanism of the character described, a take-up head comprisinga clamp bar, a pivotally mounted trigger having a roller adapted forengagement by a catch member on the bar, a spring yieldingly tensioningsaid trigger toward set position, and a trip mounted on the head andhaving sliding connection with the trigger.

12. In a mechanism of the character described, a take-up head comprisinga clamp bar, a pivotally mounted trigger having a roller ada ted forengagement by a catch member on the bar, a spring yieldingly tensioningsaid trigger toward set position, and a trip having floating connectionwith the head, and having sliding connection with the trigger.

13. In a mechanism of the character described, a pick-up head comprisinga clamp bar, a trigger pivotally mounted on the head, and yieldinglytensioned toward set position, a flexible plate on the free end of saidtrigger, a trip having arm members slidably projecting through saidplate and pivotally connected with the head, and means for limiting theprojection of said trigger.

14. In a mechanism of the character described, a take-up head having alongitudinal slot therein, a trigger having one end pivotally mounted inthe outer end of the head slot, a spring yieldingly tensioning the looseend of the trigger forwardly from the slot, means for limiting theprojection of the trigger, a plate on the free end of said trigger,-aflexible member mounted on the head, a trip having arms slidablyprojected. through the trigger plate and connected with said flexiblemember, and a clamp bar yieldingly tensioned toward the head, and havinga catch member adapted for holding engagement with the trigger roller,substantially as set forth.

15. In a mechanism of the character de-' scribed, a take-up head havingforwardly directed ears on its outer end, a post mounted in said ears, aclamp bar pivotally mounted on said post, a spring having a separateportion connected with the clamp bar and having end portions coiled onsaid post and extending along said ears and through the head, a pinmounted in said ears and adapted for engagement by the central portionof said spring when the clamp bar is released, and trigger mechanism forcontrolling the clamp bar.

16. In a mechanism of the character described, a stationary post, astandard hingedly mounted on said post, a crane pivotally mounted on thestandard and adapted for vertical movement to and from said position,and means for holding a mail bag on said crane.

17. In a mechanism of the character described, a standard hingedlymounted on said post and adapted for horizontal movement to and fromsaid position, a crane pivotally mounted on the standard and adapted forvertical movement to and from said position, means for holding a mailbag in the crane, and means for automatically returning the crane afterthe removal of the mail bag.

18. In a mechanism of the character described, a suitable standard, acrane pivotally mounted on said standard, means on the crane for holdinga mail bag, a bracket projectingfrom the base of the crane and a weightcarried by said bracket and adapted for swinging the crane upon theremoval of a mail bag.

19. In a mechanism of the character described, a standard, a craneeccentrically mounted on the standard and adapted for swinging movementto and from a set position, and means for automatically swinging thecrane upon the removal of a mail bag therefrom and cushioning theswinging movement as the crane approaches the limit of its travel.

20. In a mechanism of the character dc scribed, a standard, a cranehaving an eccentrically pivotal mounting on the standard, means on thecrane for holding a mail bag, a bracket projecting from the base of thecrane, a guide on the standard, a weighted rope connected with thebracket and run through the guide whereby the crane is antomaticallyreturned to initial position and cushioned as it approaches the limit ofits movement.

21. In a mechanism of the character described, a standard, a cranepivotally mounted on the standard, means on the crane for holding a mailbag, a bracket on said stand ard, a roller carried by said bracket, abracket on the base of the crane adapted for projection through thestandard bracket and past the roller, a rope on said crane brackethaving a weight on its free end adapted for elevation by the rope when acrane is at either limit of its travel and for support to relieve thecrane as the crane bracket passes the guide roller, for the purpose setforth.

22. In a mechanism of the character described, a standard, a cranehaving an inner corner pivotally connected with the standard, a bracketfixed on the base of the crane, a weight connected with said bracket andadapted for tipping the crane on its pivotal mounting, and means on saidcrane for holding a bag.

23. In a mechanism of the character described, a crane comprising spacedarm members, one of said members having adjustable mechanism forgripping a bag, a rod yieldably mounted on the opposite arm, and akeeper loosely mounted on said last named arm and adapted for overlyingsaid rod, for the purpose set forth.

24. In a mechanism of the character described, a crane comprising spacedarms, means on one of said arms for holding a bag, a rod carried by theopposite arm, and a keeper pivotally mounted on said last named arm andoverlying said rod.

25. In a mechanism of the character described, a crane comprising spacedarms, means on one of said arms for holding a bag, a rod slidablyprojected through the opposite arm and having a laterally turnedportion, a head on said rod, a spring surrounding said rod and engagingthe arm and head to yieldingly retain the laterally turned portion insaid position, and a keeper carried by said second arm and overlying thelaterally turned portion of said rod.

26. In a mechanism of the character described, a crane comprising spacedarms, means on one of said arms for holding a bag, a rod pivotallymounted in the second arm and havinga laterally turned portion, a collaron said rod, springs fixed on the arm and bearing against said collar,and a keeper carried by the arm and overlying the laterally turnedportion of said rod, for the purpose set forth. 7

27. In a mechanism of the character described, a crane comprising spacedarms, means on one of said arms for holding a bag, a rod on the secondarm having a laterally projecting portion, a ring pivotally mounted onthe arm, and a spring yieldingly tensioning said ring against the upperportion of the rod, substantially as set forth.

28. In a mechanism of the character described, a crane comprising spacedarms,

means on one of the arms for gripping the bag, a rod carried by thesecond arm, ears on said last named arm, a ring pivotally mounted insaid ears and overlying the rod, a

clamp on said ring and a spring engaging the clamp and arm to yieldinglytension said ring against the rod.

29. In a mechanism of the character described, a crane comprising spacedarms, means on one of the arms for holding a bag, a rod on the secondarm, a ring carried by said arm and overlying the rod, and a bag hangerhaving spaced ears provided with beveled edges and carrying a roller,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

30. In a mechanism of the character described, a crane comprising spacedarms, a latch member on one of said arms, a rod on the second arm, andclamp arms slidably Copies of this patent may be obtained for mounted onsaid rod but adapted for aut0- matic locking engagement therewith, forthe purpose set forth.

31. In a mechanism of the character described, a crane comprising spacedarms, a latch on one of said arms, a rod on the second arm, clipsslidably mounted on said rod, clamps slidably mounted on said rod withinthe clips and comprising spaced fingers, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY J. HEDRICK.

IVitnesses:

LEWIS L. MILLER, LETA E. CoATs.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0;! Patents, Washington,.D. G.

